(Was gonna be Monday then Tuesday but is now) Thursday manger doesn't have quite the same ring to it!

Oops sorry I'm a few days late. Such a busy foody and boozy weekend! Friday I had my mums hen do and we went to Terracotta which is an amazing all you can eat chinese buffet restaurant. I made sure I had lots of the expensive stuff like Salmon, Tiger prawns, Mussels and lets not forget the sushi (Oh how I love sushi!). We went for drinks after but as we had so much to eat we just sloughed on a big comfy sofa and couldn't move!

Saturday we went to Fins second birthday (all day) bbq. I think there were 3 or may be four rounds of food, my favourite being some super spicy tiger prawns. The party was at my friend Lucys inlaws. They have an amazing out door space and lots to keep the kids entertained for hours. We only left at 11pm cos the boys had finally had enough and just wanted to go to sleep. Funny they still managed to wake up at 8am the following morning. Far to much Cider and Pimms was consumed to get up that early - How rude! Thanks again to the Boyles for a fantastic day xxx

Sunday night I went for another meal this time at San Carlo a fantastic authentic Italian. We were celebrating Lozzie my sister inlaws 30th birthday. It was a lovely meal and a really nice get together.

To say that I was pooped after all that drinking and eating is an understatement. Was a bit of a zombie the next day. But I did manage to design this -

Its a poster for the village Gala in a few weeks.

Now I just need to pack for my hols!!

Really quick recipes this week -

Grate 1 carrot and 1 courgette, add some mayonnaise, freshly ground black pepper, mix and tada! Carrot and courgette coleslaw - Its delish!

I'll be back Mon 28th! B x

Wonderful wellies

Why? Well because I need a pair and just can't seem to make my mind up.

Heart buttons - £17.99 and free delivery

Knit print - These are the ones I really, really want but they only have size 3 available.

Boo hoo!!

Next lets meet the lovely Doris - Pink sweetpea print

Red polka dot

Zebra print

Lemons

Cath Kidston - Shooting stars

Oh and I just had to include this kids pair - Botte Kenza. So wish they did this in an adults size 5 or that I had a girl to put them on!

At the mo I think my favs are the zebra print (apart from the knit one that I can't have!) but I am still looking and an very likely to change my mind a few times before I actually get around to ordering some. May be can help me decide. Which is your fav?

Obviously the most import thing about your wellies is that they keep your feet dry when splashing in puddles. A very close second for me is they must be FUN!

Seeya Monday!

B x

Monday manger - Courgettes, carrot, curry, chicken..... Oh and a parcel too

Oops never got around to posting on Thursday. I went the the allotment and planned to post photos but managed to forget my camera. Well I'm not really a morning person and its hard enough get me and the boys ready. Especially if its a morning after I have worked at the pub. Any way no photos of the actual allotment but we had our first harvest -

The courgettes are going crazy!

Baby carrots from pricking out, just couldn't throw these away so they went in a bolognaise.

1 radish is better than none.

This is only half our bounty as Debbie had the other. Have been again today and picked about 8 more courgettes. Any tasty recipes for these greatly would be great. Managed to remember the camera today just didn't get around to taking any piccies.

Also look a parcel. For moi?

Yes! Look at this amazing parcel notebook I received.

Sent by the lovely Justine (blog). Thanks x I love it!

She won some of my postcards and wanted to send me something in return, so it was more like a swap. These are available in here.

Heres the Chicken and chickpea curry I made last night it was delish (I added some spinach from the garden). The recipe is from the New curry secret by Kris Dhillon . If you want an authentic Indian restaurant curry this book is a must have.

Better see how dinner is doing. The chicken thighs I had in the fridge with todays us by date on were green!!!! Do you think courgette makes a good chicken substitute? Moroccan Courgette any one?

Back on Thurs,

B xxx

Monday Manger

Ok so here is the second foodie post. This week I am sharing the food growing in the garden, everything seems to have exploded over the last few days!!

The Radishes

The potatoes

The tomatoes

The lettuce......

more lettuce.......

yet more lettuce filling spaces in the border.......

.....and even more lettuce!

Not only is it delious it looks great too! Thanks She and Al xx

Chili or pepper not sure which this is now!

We are running out of room its only a small garden!!!!! Luckily me and Deb are subletting half an allotment will share that next week. Hoping to see some baby courgettes when I go later in the week.

Oh and the recipe this week is Feta and sun dried tomato bread -

300ml water

450g strong white bread flour

2 tbsp olive oil

4 sun dried toms (50g ish), finely chopped

1 tsp salt

1 tsp fast-acting yeast

100g feta cheese, broken in to small pieces

Put everything in the bucket, set on basic white, medium loaf size and medium crust. Easy peasy and tastes gorgeous.

Sorry if you don't have a bread maker but if you know a little about bread making I'm sure you can make it with out.

This mornings doodles of jars, not sure why! Think they will end up on cards as I have decided to start making them again. Not to sell just to give.

Off to pick some lettuce for lunch. Ciao for now!

B xxx

Watch the birdie

Hi guys!

How are you? I'm tired this week and am looking forward to the weekend, just hope the weather will be kind to us. Pls every one cross your finger.

As the lovely Pip has recieved her bday gift I can now share with you what I made for her. She loves green so thought this bag and vintage fabric combo would do prefectly!

I also made her this cute crocheted birdie which was a sort of prototype. Hope she doesn't mind me using her as a guinea pig if you know what I mean.

Ok so this week I have had a done some taste testing at the pub (the ostrich is amazing!), visited the school about Isaac starting in sept, baked some courgette and onion bread (actually Dan did that!), made new pen pots, coasters, birdies and have been getting some stock ready to be sold in a shop in Sheffield.

The shop is called A Crafty Crafting and I am renting a shelf there. It opens on Saturday and will be selling craft supplies and hand made gifts. You should definitely go and check it out if you are in the area. Heres a selection of what I have sent -

Thanks for popping by. See you soon,

B xxx

The very first Monday Manger!

Hiya! So I have decided to do the foody post then and plan to keep to it every Monday. The garlic and onion bread was amazing and the inlaws loved it! So much so they are thinking of getting a bread maker themselves, I can feel a bake off coming!

I have since made some feta and sundried tomato. Its absolutely delious and is about to be made into sarnies for todays picnic at the park. Yummy! I will share that recipe next week.

As it was fathers day yesterday and Dan had to work I thought it would be nice for the kids to make him something. We made lots of little shortbread biccies and that spelt out a special message just for him.

A great recipe to make with the kids as it is so simple and involves getting your hands dirty!

You will need-

75g Caster sugar

175g Butter

275g Plain flour

Mix flour and sugar

Rub butter into flour and sugar

Push together to form a dough

Roll out (kids might find it easier be to roll between two sheets of grease proof paper)

Cut out biscuits

Put on tray and bake @ gas 4 for about 10 minutes (depending on how big they are)

The recipe says it makes about 20 but I always end up with loads more. Oh and sometimes I add vanilla extract to.

Seeya Thurs,

B xxx

Oh what a lucky girl I am!

Ok so this week i'm gonna share some of the fantastic presents I received for my bday. I was so lucky to get so many lovely things.

Its very hard to choose but I think this is my fav, a giant button pincushion. Belinda said she'd been looking for that perfect gift and then she saw this.

My older brother Leon (the artist also known as LAKart) gave me this canvas plus another. I am commissioning him to do a pop arty family portrait. You know like one big square, split in to four, a drawing of each of us, one in each corner painted in four different colours..... I will share that with you when its finished. Just need to decide on colours. Am thinking Teal and Olive green to go with my plans for the dining room.

I also received 3 bags! Which is fab as you can never have to many. I'm sure when I told Dan he saw secretly rolling his eyes and thinking "more bags!" This ones from Lozzie my sister in law. (technically shes my other halves sister). I love it!

These oh so cute measuring spoons are from Pippa and Linds. Think some one may have been reading my blog. I have stacking measuring cup in the same design. They clubbed together and got me lots of lovely bits and bobs. Thanks girls, love them all x

Oh and the dress! I have been eyeing this up for months for my mums wedding. I just kept thinking i can't or rather I shouldn't. In the end I didn't have to as Dan and the boys got me it. Now all I need are some shoes.

My Inlaws (or outlaws as my friend likes to call hers) got me two books that have been on my wishlist for a while. The first is called Hand Job which isn't as rude as it sounds. its a book on hand type. Which is basically hand drawn lettering/font Remember bubble writng and doodling on school books?

The other is Print and Pattern by Bowie Style(check out the blog) which is a must have for any one who likes pattern. I could sit and look at it for hours! I know they will give me so much inspiration over the coming months and years.

Last week I made this for Emma and Chris's beautiful new baby daughter Florence. They are moving soon and Emma said they are thinking of basing her room decoration on my embroidery. Matching bunting may be?

This week I have been making a few gifts for a friend, wont say who in case she is reading. Well they are in the post so will have to share what I made her next week as don't want to spoil the surprise. Shhhh! "

I don't think I have mentioned that I got a bread maker for Christmas. It is fabulous, I don't buy bread any more and I know whats in it. This book was another bday pressie, yesterday I made blueberry cake. Today as I type I have some onion and garlic bread on the go. Thinking I might start a recipe sharing post every Monday. Might call it Monday Manger or Monday Munchies. What d'ya think?

Lastly this was breakfast!! Yes I had the cheddar's (two packets) too!!

See ya next week,

B xxx